Chapter One

Speck lived as a rogue with her mother Cloverpelt, her sister, and her brother Shadow in a clearing at the edge of the woods. She didn't know where she really came from, and as far as she was concerned, this was her home. Speck and her sister Sasha had often tried to press her mother into telling them about her old life, but she would just say, 'When the time comes, i will tell you.' Speck was reaching a point in her life when she wanted to know where her roots were actually from, but her mother kept her mouth sealed.

"Speck?" meowed her sister from behind a tree.

"What is it?"

"Mother says it's time for dinner." said Sasha, coming out from behind the tree.

"She caught something?" asked Speck.

"Of course she did," said Sasha defensively. "Mother is an excellent hunter. She caught three mice."

Sasha had always been their mothers favorite, and Sasha never got tired of rubbing it in Speck's face.

"Tell her I'm coming." said Speck. She heaved herself from her sun-spot, and padded after her sister.

"Here you are." said Cloverpelt. Shadow was sitting next to her mother, washing his face.

She led them over to her pile of food, and began to eat.

"Mother?" asked Speck while she was eating.

Cloverpelt flicked her tail to show her daughter that she was listening.

"I want to know where we came from." said Speck clearly.

"And why are you so interested in that?" snapped her mother.

Speck hung her head.

"But," said her mother. "I think you are all old enough to know."

All three cats looked shocked, and they all looked up at their mother with wide eyes.

"I didn't live my whole life as a rogue," said their mother slowly, as if trying to stop herself from confessing the truth. "I lived in a Clan."

Sasha wrinkled her nose. "What's that?" she asked.

"I'll tell you. There are four clans in the forest," she flicked her tail towards the woods beyond. "The four clans had names of course, and the four of them had special abilities. Their names were; ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan," she got a pained look in her eyes when she said RiverClan. "And ShadowClan. ThunderClan's ability was bravery, they were too brave for their own good. They lived in the woods, and their main prey were squirrels. WindClan were small, and fast. Very fast. They hunted rabbits the most. RiverClan was the clan that could swim. They lived on an island, and they were very fat, they were usually never skinny, since they had so much fish in the island. ShadowClan was the clan that was fierce. Many people said that a cold wind blew over every ShadowClan cat."

"Which Clan were you from?" asked Speck.

Again, Cloverpelt looked pained. "RiverClan was the clan I was born into."

"Why don't you still live with them?" asked Shadow.

The pain in their mother's eyes turned into anger. "I was outcasted."

"Why?" asked Sasha.

Cloverpelt looked at her paws. "I did something I shall regret for the rest of my life." she looked at the sky. "I killed a kit."

"Why?!" asked Sasha.

"It was leaf-bare, and there wasn't very much prey, and this kit ate too much. I thought it would be best just too..." she didn't finish, but everyone understood.

"Do you miss it?" asked Speck.

"Yes, and no." said Dawntail. "There are a few things that I loved about the clan, but there are lots of things I like about living alone."

"I have one more question." said Shadow.

"What is that?" asked their mother.

"Who was our father?"

"He was a rogue." said Cloverpelt.

"Who?"

"He left me, and I don't know of his whereabouts." said Cloverpelt.

"Well, I'm glad I don't live in a Clan." said Sasha.

"Why?" asked Speck.

"Too many rules, I like being free."

"Me too." said Shadow.

Their mother nodded, and turned around. Speck wasn't so sure if she agreed with her family...